West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-07-22

applies to whiskey. You are not
Obliged to drink it: we advise you
to let it alone; YOU are at liberty to
do as YOU please, but you have no
right to dictate what shall do in
matter which does not interfere with
your actions. Stripped of words and
brought down to its final analysis,
the Prohibitionists claim that ma
ioritv have the right to deal with
the personal conduct of each indi
vidual as parent may deal with
his child, and this idea is contrary
to the fundamental principles of
free Government.
Liberty does not mean the privil-
ege of keeping out of Jail; it means
the right of every man to act as he
pleases. provided he does not in
fringe on the rights OF any other
man. If that thing called personal
liberty" is to exist, the body of the
people must be taught correct views
on this subject. If our institutions
are to be preserved the more intelli-
gent portion of the community must
make known and press upon the peo-
pie the vital distinction between a
parental Government and legiti-
mate Government. The idea of a
parental Government is, that every
individual should be compelled to
conduct himself, in his private life,
in such manner rs the persons adj
ministering the Government may
please to think will best promote his
personal welfare; if they think to-
bacco injurious, the law will forbid
its use; if they think early rising
to health, the law will
compel every man to quit his bed at
if they think the Episco-
pal creed promutive of happiness,the
law wilt compel every person to at
tend that church. This idea of the
function of Government is directly
contrary to every principle upon
which personal liberty depends. Lee
gitimate Government is the opposite
of parental Government. Legitimate
is based on the propo-
sitiOn that its only duty is to pro-
tect each individual in the enjoy
ment of all his rights; and to that
end may restrict others so far, and
so far only, as is necessary to pre-
vent them from treSpassing on those
rights. The Government must do
to restrain my actions, ex-
cept where necessary to protect
other persons in the enjoyment of
their rights. In this way, and in no
other way, every one has the largest
amount of personal liberty that 1t is
possible to enjoy in state of So
ciety.
The Prohibition movement is
rested on one or the other Of two
onepropOsitiOn is, that
Il majority may forbid my use of
because they fancy that l
would be better without it; the 9th
err proposition is, that the law shall
forbid me to drink, not because it
INJURIES me, but because weakmind-
ed persons are unable to control
their own appetite. Both of these
spring from a total mis-
conception of the province of Gov
and those who advance
either proposition obviously attempt
to have the Government do, as re-
SpectS a grown man, what father
may do as respects his child. Our
institutions are gone unless this
false idea is repudiated; And it
surely will be repudiated whenever
The rank and file come to understand
il. The American theory is, that
is the agent and ser
want of the people to protect the in
dividual members of society in the
enjoyment of their rights; but pro
hibiticn proceeds on the idea that
instead OF protecting rights, the gov
eminent is to determine what shall
be a-man's rights: the government
shall dictate a mans personal habits
and decide what shall be his moral
The American theory is,
that Government is only to protect
one man against other men; the pro-
hibition idea is, that the Govern
is to protect Il man against the con-
of his own conduct. 1t
is amazing, the conservative portion
Of the community sleep when such